Angelfish have been popular for a long time, and new strains are still being developed. Wild-caught fish are also widely available. Angelfish are cichlids, which mean they can be aggressive, territorial, and predatory. They also have some demanding requirements for space, water conditions, and diet.

Angelfish require space to establish and hold a territory. You can keep one Angelfish in a relatively small aquarium, but they will do a lot better in a group of five or more in bigger tank. You should provide 10 gallons of water for one adult Angelfish.
If you consider keeping Angelfish, locally bred fish are a good choice. They are usually already acclimated to your tap water, and probably are available at your local fish store.

There is a growing number of “basement breeders” all over the country, who bring their fish to the store for sale. This will save you a lot of time and money if you are just starting with Angelfish.

Wild-caught fish are harder to get acclimated to different water conditions. It has to happen very slowly, and at first the conditions should be close to their natural water conditions; slightly acidic, and relatively soft. Water temperature must be maintained between 78 and 84 degrees Fahrenheit for all Angelfish regardless of their origin. They don’t like to get “chilled”; they will suffer and get sick in too cool water.

There are no special requirements for filters, as long as the water stays clean. The only thing to think about is that the water is not flowing too fast. Angelfish are not happy where salmon would be. Thirty percent of the water should be changed at least every two weeks. Also vacuum the bottom to keep it clean and aerated, since Angelfish will not mix the substrate. One option is to keep some bottom dwellers with Angels.

Angelfish generally accept all kinds of food. They are omnivorous, which means they eat meat and plant food. You can offer pellets, flakes, frozen blood worms and brine shrimp, and so on. Avoid too fatty meat to protect the liver from getting cirrhosis. It is a good habit to feed Angelfish two or three times a day a with small amount instead of single large meal. This will prevent digestive problems.

Angelfish can be good community fish. They do need to have appropriate tank mates for everything to work out. Some small fish may end up on the menu, like Neon Tetras, and slower fish may have difficulty to get enough food. Avoid very small fish and choose tank mates with similar temperament, and water condition requirements. Some Angel fish strains have very long fins and tails, which some other species keep nipping.

If you are interested in breeding Angelfish, you will need a second tank to separate the breeding pair from the rest of the community, or to rear the fry. It would be best to get at least 3 to 5 Angels to be sure you get one female and one male. Sometimes you may find a pair of adults for sale, which have already spawned. Angels will form a pair after courtship display, and will aggressively guard the chosen spawning spot. This is usually some kind of vertical surface, a big leaf or tubing for example. Spawning takes about an hour. Both parents keep fanning the eggs for three days until they hatch. The fry will stay attached to the surface for about five days and then start swimming on their own. By this time the fry has used most of its yolk, and needs to be fed for the first time. You can offer newly hatched brine shrimp. It’s wiggling will stimulate the fry to eat better than flake food will, which can be offered crushed.

Parents will take care of the fry, but if any wander away; they will get on the menu of the other fish. This can be prevented by moving the fry to a separate tank. If the fry is well fed and the tank is kept clean, the fry will grow very fast. Then you can start asking from your local fish stores if they would be interested in having your little Angels for sale. Happy fish keeping.

More information about aquariuminfosite.com aqurium fish, aquarium plants, aquarium decoration, aquarium filters, and salt water aquariums at aquariuminfosite.com aquariuminfosite.com

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Tags: aquarium, tap water

Weekly water testing should make water quality problems evident before an Arowana’s health is at risk. This is one of the benefits of a proactive approach when it comes to managing water quality. It is much safer and simpler to correct problems before a disaster develops. Swift, but conservative action can then remedy the situation.

If your Arowana is visibly stressed due to unhealthy water conditions, it is still important to act conservatively when taking corrective measures. Arowanas do not tolerate drastic changes to their environment, regardless of intentions. Hasty efforts to improve water quality could inadvertently harm your fish. Take a calm, planned approach that addresses one problem at a time instead. When one condition is improved, others may naturally be eliminated.

The best sequential order for addressing water quality issues if more than one component is compromised is:

1. Ammonia

2. Nitrite

3. Nitrate

4. pH

Adjustments to temperature can be made concurrently with any of the above steps, but avoid changes of more than one or two degrees per 24 hours.

1. Ammonia:

Ammonia is highly toxic and must be removed from the tank. It is even more toxic if pH is alkaline, when a more aggressive approach is in order. If pH is fairly neutral, take the following corrective measures:

• Aerate the tank as much as possible

• Stop feeding temporarily

• 30% water change day 1; 10 – 15% daily until ammonia tests below 1ppm

• Add zeolite to filtration systems

• If fish are visibly stressed or ammonia readings are extreme, add ammonia neutralizer to reduce toxicity immediately. Chemical ammonia neutralizers may interfere with test results and should only be used in severe circumstances.

Begin to adjust pH to reduce ammonia toxicity only as a last resort, and preferably only if you are experienced at doing so. If pH is mildly alkaline, change up to 25% of tank water day two, and 15% thereafter.

2. Nitrite

Nitrite is also highly toxic to Arowanas and is eliminated the same way as ammonia. An increase in aeration, feeding reduction, and aggressive water changes should reduce or eliminate nitrite.

3. Nitrate

Although the presence of nitrate is usually not harmful to Arowanas, it is a strong indication of water quality problems. Since waste is generally responsible for nitrate buildup, a thorough tank cleaning is most likely in order. Pay particular attention to vacuuming any tank substrate present. Reduce feeding to eliminate excess food waste and consider replacing dirty filter media. Avoid disrupting biological filtration by staggering the cleaning procedures.

4. Incorrect or Fluctuating pH

For the benefit of your Arowana, only attempt pH adjustments when absolutely necessary. It is a tricky undertaking for several reasons, and even minor adjustments stress fish. Only do so if your Arowana seems stressed under otherwise optimum water quality conditions. Never attempt to alter pH by more than .3 within 24 hours.

“Pure” water has a neutral pH by nature (7.0). The presence of chemicals makes it more acidic or alkaline. Acids lower pH while bases raise it. Buffers are substances which stabilize pH, causing it to hold steady. In order for pH to be lowered or raised, buffers must be neutralized or removed.

Danger arises when buffers are overcome with chemicals. Once buffers are neutralized, pH quickly bounces up or down. The drastic pH changes that result can be deadly to Arowanas. Biological filtration is also compromised. Should you successfully arrive at a satisfactory pH, chemical adjustment will again be necessary at each and every water change.

If you must adjust your pH or it tends to fluctuate, consider the best method for keeping it steady. It may be possible to remove buffering ions with a Tap Water Purifier to achieve a lower pH long-term. Crushed coral may also help water hold an appropriate pH. If at all possible, seek professional advice before attempting to affect pH. Arowanas can and do adjust to less than ideal pH levels. They cannot tolerate pH shock or frequent fluctuations.

Preventing Water Quality Deterioration

Regardless of the situation, you must determine the cause of a water quality issue in order to prevent its recurrence. Ajust the tank population and feeding schedule if water quality problems persist. Excessive debris and waste can severely jeopardize water quality. Adequate filtration and a sound tank maintenance regimen prevent water quality deterioration under normal circumstances.

The basis of your Arowana tank maintenance plan should be a 10-15% partial water change performed 1 to 2 times per week. All filters should be inspected weekly and cleaned as needed. Pay particular attention to mechanical filtration media, and inspect aeration hoses and other filter components weekly. Remove mineral deposits and other debris that can compromise performance. If your tank contains substrate, avoid vacuuming in conjunction with filter media replacement to preserve biological filtration.

Steven Yeoh is an avid arowana fish lover who is also involved with an asian arowana breeding farm. If you find his arowana information helpful, make sure that you sign up for his 7 days ecourse for the “New Arowana Hobbyists” at his main site as well as visit his very useful and informative blog.

Main site: arowana-care.com arowana-care.com

Arowana blog: arowana-care.com/aroblog arowana-care.com/aroblog

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Tags: tap water

Have you ever seen a Hermit Crab? They’re those little snail things
in the shell, right? Wrong. Hermit crabs are little crustaceans that
live in deserted sea snail shells on the coast. Boring, right? Wrong
again. They are really, I mean REALLY fun to play with and easy to
take care of. I am going to teach you how to keep a happy, healthy,
Hermit Crab.

First you need to buy supplies. You’ll need a cage, rocks or sand to
go at the bottom, special Hermit Crab Food, a dish to put the food
in (Snapple bottle caps do fine), extra shells for when they get too
big for their current one, and (IMPORTANT!) DISTILLED WATER. This is
important because they can’t have tap water. You also need a sea
shell (or something!) to put the water in. And you can make it easier
for them to drink by putting a sea sponge in their water.

Then you need to set up their home. Pour the rocks or sand into the
cage. Then arrange the water, food, and shells. Hermit crabs also
like lots of stuff to play on, like large rocks and big
sticks. I keep
the food out the cage, too. It’s just easier to access.

Now that you’re prepared, I’m going to teach you how to take care of
your Hermit Crab on a daily basis. About every other day, you need
to give your Hermit Crab food and water. To give them food, put one
or two “pellets” in the food dish. All though, it’s a REALLY good
idea to check the instructions first, because some kinds of Hermit
Crab food are different than others, and you wouldn’t want to
overfeed or underfeed your Hermit Crab. They also need water. All
you need to do is pour a little distilled water into the water dish
or shell. You should check to see if it has enough water.

Once a month, you should give your Hermit Crab a bath. Put a tiny
little tiny bit of warm, not hot, water-tap is all right-into a
bowl. Make sure you don’t put in too much, or your Hermit Crab might
drown! The water level shouldn’t be above the tip of their shell.
Then put the Hermit Crab in the water and take them out again. They
should be squeaky clean!

Have you noticed that I’ve been saying “them” instead of “it”?
That’s because Hermit Crabs, in the wild, travel in groups of
several thousand. So it’s always a good idea to have more than one,
so they don’t get lonely.

You now Know how to take care of a Hermit Crab! Congrats! You can
probably find them and their supplies at your local pet store.

Kelsey VanDyke is a Hermit Crab Expert. Visit her blog at pettraining.blogspot.com pettraining.blogspot.com

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Tags: tap water

The bullfrog is the largest frog in North America. The bullfrog population is not as abundant as it used to be because people kill these frogs to eat their legs! This is a fascinating creature that needs to be protected.

The bullfrog is most common in the Southern part of the United States. They are known for their large size, throaty call and their extraordinary leaping ability. Bullfrogs can grow to be six inches in length, but when they stretch out their legs this adds another seven to ten inches in length. They can also jump up to six feet away!

The frog’s calls are heard throughout the summer when they are mating. The male makes a call to get females and then the females respond with another call. Sometimes you may see two males fighting because they are very territorial. The frogs are not seen in the winter because they are hibernating.

If you want to keep these frogs, it is best if they have a shallow pool that they can get in and out of very easily. Try not to use tap water in the pool because it has chlorine in it, which could hurt them. Tadpoles are especially sensitive to this. To get rid of the chlorine in your water, either filter it or let it sit out for two weeks. Frogs like the water to be around eighty degrees. Only fill the pool so that the depth covers the frogs half way. You should also put pebbles or stones on the bottom.

If you keep Bullfrogs in captivity, you can feed them all kinds of insects, baby mice and feeder fish. Be careful if you are going to keep more than one frog together, because they will usually eat anything that is smaller than them, including other frogs.

When the female bullfrog lays eggs, she can lay up to 20,000 eggs at once. These eggs will then become tadpoles. The tadpole stage lasts between six months and two years, depending on the weather. When the eggs first hatch, the babies cannot swim so they just cling to plants. Very soon they begin to develop hind legs. Once these legs are fully-grown, they use them to swim and push through the water. The tadpole continues to develop into a frog by having skin grow over the gills, having lungs develop, having front legs grow and having the tail disappear.

If you want to take care of tadpoles, you should keep them in an aquarium. The water in the tank should be filtered. Don’t put any fish in the aquarium with the tadpoles because they might hurt them. It is best if you only put between two and four tadpoles in a tank together. They will swim together and are very active if kept in small groups. Tadpoles can be fed pellets, flake food, water plants and algae. When they get bigger you can also feed them bloodworms.

It is so amazing the way a frog changes from an underwater creature to a land creature. They are very fascinating and fun to see in the wild. Fortunately, laws have been passed to regulate how many frogs can be caught and eaten. Hopefully this will help build their population back up.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to animals-guide.com/ Animals

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Tags: aquarium, tap water

So you’ve decided on which aquarium to buy, been and purchased it, and set it up in a prominent location in your home – what next? Before you rush out and buy your freshwater tropical fish, you need to make sure you have all the equipment necessary. At the very least you need a lid for the aquarium, lighting, heating and a filtration system. It is very important you buy the correct size for your aquarium.

For instance, the lighting needs to be sufficient to light the entire aquarium, likewise the filter must be able to cope with the amount of water you will have, or it will not work to optimum efficiency. Buying a heater which will have to work hard to keep your aquarium at the correct temperature may be cheaper, but will end up a false economy, as it will soon break. If you are in any doubt as to what to buy to go with your aquarium, check with a reputable aquatic dealer.

You will now need to decorate your aquarium. For this you need gravel, and by this I mean special gravel you buy from an aquatic dealer, the quality is important. You also need a lot of it, because you need to cover the base of the aquarium by at least 2-3 inches (5-7.5cm). This will allow the plants to root properly, and if you have an under-gravel filtration system you will need this much to cover the filter.

To complete the decoration you will need some plants, either real or artificial, and you may want to consider some bogwood, which looks attractive in an aquarium, and as it has been treated it is suitable. Do not add shells or coral, as these can hurt your fish, and can also change the balance of the water, as well as be sharp and may hurt the fish. Aquatic dealers also sell other artificial decorations that you may want to purchase. Ensure that whatever you do you give your fish some hiding places.

Next, purchase a net, a bucket, a gravel cleaner and a glass cleaner – these are essential tools of the trade, and will be used often. I would also recommend buying de-chlorinator – tap water may be great for people, but it was not made for tropical fish. All the chemicals which are put in the water are not good for freshwater tropical fish, so the water will either need to be left standing for a couple of days, and be subjected to strong aeration, or have a de-chlorinator added to it.

Finally, purchase some fish food, so that when you bring your new freshwater tropical fish home you have something to feed them.

Jackie Robinson is a keen hobbyist, and has kept freshwater tropical fish for over 20 years. Find out more information on JustTropicalFish.com Freshwater Tropical Fish

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Tags: aquarium, tap water